And The Greatest of These...
by Paige42
Summary: Suicides are on the rise in Sunnydale. Can the Scoobies stop the dark force behind it, or will they be next?


TITLE: And The Greatest Of These...  
AUTHOR: Sam (Lestrade42@aol.com)  
RATING: PG  
FEEDBACK: Of course. It's been awhile since I've written more than a one shot.  
DISCLAIMER: Joss owns them. I know it sucks but it's true. I own Mouse and Maleficent Gray. Pre- 'Hush'  
  
Inspired by a dream I had.  
  
For everyone who's down.  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat. "Okay, come on. Give me your best shot."  
A set of eyes looked up at her from the ground below. They were cruel and cold. "Right. Melissophobia."  
"Ah... Fear of.... Girls named Melissa?"  
Willow sighed. "Fear of bees. Did you even read the chapter, Buffy?"  
"Well, I... skimmed it. This is so silly. I mean why do we need to know all these silly names? I mean why not just call it what it's called. Fear of Bees? Bee fear. Simple and to the point."  
"That won't help you pass the test, Buffy. And you need to or your going to fail this semester."  
Buffy slummed on top of a nearby grave. "I know. I'm just not in study mode. Giles called me this morning. He sounded freaked. But he would say why. Said we should come over after patrol."  
Suddenly a hand burst through the ground right by Buffy's leg. Buffy grabbed it and pulled. A shocked vamp half emerged from the grave. Buffy drove the stake through his chest. Dust exploded in every direction.  
"Off to Giles."  
Willow began collecting her books.  
  
***  
  
Giles slammed another book shut. Xander woke with a start.   
"Oh, I'm sorry Xander."  
"No problem. Wasn't that good of a dream anyway. What's up Giles. You been jumpy guy all night."  
"We have to wait for Buffy and Willow. I don't want to tell this more than once."  
"Good. I hate repeats." Buffy strode through the front door, Willow in tow.  
"Oh good. You're all here. Sit down."  
Xander moved over on the couch. Willow plopped down next to him. Buffy sat on the armchair.  
"Have you been noticed lately that a large number of people have been... disappearing?"  
"No more so than usual, Giles. Why?"  
Giles pulled out a small folder of papers and pictures. "I have a friend at Sunnydale Psychiatric Facility and he gave me a call the other day. For the past week the number of suicides and suicide attempts in Sunnydale have almost tripled. And the numbers are growing everyday. There wards are full to bursting with people in a deep depression. And the worst thing is..."  
"Wait, this isn't the worst part?" Xander asked.  
"No, sadly. The worst part is is that this morning there was a large fire in a church."  
"I heard about that on the way to class," Willow chimed in. "They said no one was hurt though."  
"Yes well, that's not entirely true. The firemen and paramedics were keeping it from the media. They found.... bodies. Over 35 bodies. With the doors locked and windows boarded up."  
Buffy winced. "Mass suicide?"  
Giles removed his glasses. "I'm afraid so. They ranged in age from and elderly gentleman to..."  
"Oh Giles don't. Not..." Buffy rubbed her hands over her face.  
Willow crossed her arms in an effort to warm herself. "Babies?"  
Giles nodded. "Yes."  
Xander wrapped an arm around Willow as she began to shake. "Who would do something like that! That's..."  
"Depraved." Giles rose and went into the kitchen. "And the odd thing is is that as far as anyone can tell, no one belong to that church. There was nothing to tie these people together. They weren't of the same race, the same gender, the same religion or even the same profession. The only thing they have in common is they were all human."  
"So they just all up and decided to torch themselves for fun, is that it?" Buffy grumbled.  
Giles slammed down the tea pot. "Buffy, things are bad enough without you having to take your frustration out on other people." He sighed. "I'm sorry. Here I am doing exactly what I'm reprimanding you for."  
"It's okay Giles. But there is good to be had here right?" Willow looked hopeful.  
"Ah... not that I can find right now, no. But my main concern right now is that we find whatever is causing this and put a stop to it before there's no one left in Sunnydale for us to save."  
***  
  
Two red eyes pierced the darkness of the office. A deep voice reverberated off the walls. "You have done well, my servant. Soon Sunnydale will be the cleansed and ready for our rule. Quickly now, onto your duties."  
A woman dressed in a long purple cloak bowed deeply. "Yes my master."  
The eyes disappeared and the light of the sun began to pour into the room again. The office was sparse. Only a bare desk and chair were to be seen. She stepped to the large window and smiled. "Soon. Soon it will all be mine."  
  
***  
  
"Yup. Looks like she's a real popular lady." The truck driver spat out the window. The young girl next to him smiled weakly and straitened out the newspaper in front of her. " 'In the week since she arrived, Maleficent Gray has bought 4 factories and 3 stores. She has purchased the long abandoned Davison Mansion and has spent a rumored $1.2 million on restoring it to it's original beauty.' Wow. Looks like she has alot of money to throw away."  
"One of the richest in the world it's said."  
The girl smiled. "Money isn't everything."  
The trucker laughed. "You're kidding right! Ah well, here we are miss. Sunnydale city limits."  
The girl threw her battered pack over her shoulder.  
"You got family there?"  
"Nope. Just bored with the last town. Thanks alot for the ride, sir."  
"Hey, you take care of yourself. Sunnydale can be a strange place, Miss... Ah. You didn't mention your name."  
"Friends just call me Mouse. Thanks again." She jumped down and slammed the door shut. The trucker tipped his hat as he hit the gas.  
Mouse sighed and took in her surroundings. Sunnydale. Not too bad. She straightened out her shirt. Hm... missing a few more buttons. oh well, she'd sew a few on later. Now, to find a place to sleep.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
Maleficent Gray strode into the board room, her purple gown flowing behind her. "Good morning gentlemen. What do you have for me today?"  
One man stood. "Well, Ms. Gray, we have acquired the Church of the Guiding Light. It was damaged by fire yesterday morning. We are planning to bulldoze the remains."  
"Excellent. Anything else?"  
"No mame."  
"I'll be at the mansion if you need me." She walked out of the room and to the elevator. As she rounded a corner, a courier ran into her.  
"Oh I'm sorry!"  
Maleficent's eyes glowed red. "Your mother blames you for your brother's death."  
The boys glazed over. Suddenly he let out a blood curdling cry and ran straight for the bay window across the office. His body hit the window full force, galls shattering everywhere. As he fell, tears ran down his cheeks.  
Maleficent walked to the window just in time to see his body hit the grass below. She smiled. Small minded peon.  
  
***  
  
Mouse wandered through the streets of Sunnydale. She needed to find a place to sleep tonight. Oh well. it was a beautiful day. If all else fails, she could just sleep in the park. As she turned the corner, she heard a small muffled cry. A young boy was sitting on a park bench.   
"Hey little guy. What's wrong?"  
The boy looked up at the voice. A young woman, red hair, bright eyes. She looked a little run down like she had been traveling without rest. "I lost my puppy. My Mommy just gave him to me. She told me to make sure I kept an eye on him."  
Mouse kneeled down and looked at him in the eye. "Well, what's he look like?"  
"He's little. Brown fur, brown eyes. He kinds looks like that dog from 'The Wizard of Oz'."  
Mouse smiled and pointed to a nearby tree. "You mean like that one?"  
The boy looked to where she was pointing. His face lit up. "Sylvie!" He ran and scooped up the puppy into his arms. "Thanks! Thanks so much! Say thank you Sylvester."  
The puppy whimpered softly.  
Mouse smiled. "No problem. You should get Sylvie home. It's getting dark and he looks hungry."  
The boy smiled again and ran off.  
Mouse gathered up her pack. Just past the park was a small cemetery. "Good a place as any."  
  
***  
  
Giles nodded into the phone receiver. "Yes. Yes thank you Karen. Goodbye." He slammed it down.   
Willow looked up from her lap top. "News?"  
"A young bike courier today entered the new office buildings of Maleficent Gray, turned a corner and jumped through a fifth story window."  
Buffy frowned. "You were waiting till I swallowed to say that, weren't you?"  
Xander came running though the front door. "I went to the hospital. This morning they got ten people who needed their stomachs pumped. Tried to OD. Thirteen slashed wrists and one who tried to hang himself and the rope pulled the light out of the ceiling. He now has a broken leg."  
"It's getting worse."  
"Do you have any ideas at all Giles?"  
"I need more time."  
"We may run out of people before we figure out what's going on, Giles."  
Buffy dropped the rest of her sandwich. "I'm going to wander around. See if anything jumps out."  
"Or anyone?" Willow asked.  
  
***  
  
Buffy sighed as she kicked a stone. Sunnydale looked a bit deserted. Even the cemetery looked, for lack of a better word, dead. Maybe the vamps were vacationing.   
"Boo."  
Buffy's fist went flying and struck the voice.  
"Ow!" Spike fell to the ground.  
"Thought it was too quite. How's it going Spike?"  
"Fine till you showed up. I was enjoying a nice 'Who's line is it anyway?' marathon."  
"Fun. So, notice anything out of the ordinary lately?"  
"You mean other than the fact that I seem to have alot of new neighbors? No."  
"Thanks. you're a big help."  
A scraping sound made Buffy spin around.  
"Hi."  
"Hi?"  
Mouse pushed the door of the crypt open and came out. "Gee, I didn't realize that this was such a popular spot."  
"Huh?"  
"Well, I mean I didn't realize how many people crash here. I thought I was the only one. Name's Mouse."  
"Buffy. What do you mean crash here?"  
"Well, I couldn't find the Red Cross and the homeless shelter seemed to be closed so I figured this was a good a place and any to sleep."  
Spike laughed. "You're not from around here are you?"  
"No, just got here. Why?"  
Buffy looked her over. "Well, this place really isn't safe. I have a friend. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you sating at his place for a while." 'What am I doing,' she thought. 'I have no idea who this girl is and I'm inviting her to stay with Giles! It's weird. She seems so... innocent.'  
"No. it's okay. I'm fine here."  
Spike stood up. "You should go with her." His eyes bugged out. "What the hell am I saying?"  
Mouse smiled. "Okay. Thanks alot. Hang on. I gotta get my stuff."  
As she re entered the tomb Buffy spun around to Spike. "What are you doing?"  
"I'm not doing anything. It was your idea!"  
Mouse exited the tomb with her pack. "Let's go."  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
Buffy poked her head in the door. "Hello?"  
Giles was pacing around with a book in his hands. "Buffy. You weren't out for very long. Anything wrong?"  
"No. not wrong. But... odd. I need you to... see someone." Buffy moved aside. There was another girl behind her.  
"Hi."  
"Uh, hello."  
"Giles, this is... Mouse. I met her in the cemetery. She doesn't have any place to stay tonight. Do you mind if she stays here?"  
"Oh Buffy. This is a bit..."  
Mouse stepped forward. "I found this on your step. Is it yours?" She pushed out her hand. Inside it was a small pocket watch.  
Giles jaw dropped. "That... that was my grandfathers. I thought I lost that back in England. Thank you... Mouse?"  
"Yup."  
"I take it that's not your real name."  
"Then you be extremely astute, Mr. Giles. It's not my Christian name. But I'm not very fond of it so I go by Mouse."  
Giles smiled. "Well, I do have a bed upstairs you could use."  
"Oh no! I can use the couch. I don't want to take your bed from you. Um, your bathroom?"  
"Right up the stairs."  
Mouse smiled, dropped her pack and headed up the stairs.  
"Okay, you did it too. It's like you can't say no to her. Do you think..."  
"Her? No Buffy. I don't think she has anything to do with the suicides. She seems so..."  
"Innocent?"  
"Child-like I was going to say. She's got this wide eyes happy outlook on life. Like nothing could go wrong."  
"Buffy?" Mouse called. "Could you toss up the towel in my pack?"  
"Sure." Buffy shot a look at Giles and emptied the bag on the couch.   
"Buffy!"  
"Shh Giles." She found the towel and tossed it up the stairs. Then made her way back to Giles. "What does she have in there?"  
"Practically nothing. One change of clothes, that towel, yesterday's newspaper, a copy of 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'," Giles laughed to himself. "I love that book. Oh and a copy of the Bible." He flipped through. "Looks very worn. Passages are underlined. Here's one. 'You will listen and listen again, but not understand, see and see again, but not perceive. For the heart of this nation has grown coarse, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, for fear...' " " 'For fear they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and be converted and be healed by me.' Matthew chapter 13 verses 14-16.One of my favorites."  
Giles slammed the book shut. "I'm terribly sorry. Uh we just..."  
Mouse smiled. "It's okay. I mean, I'm a stranger here and you just want to make sure I'm not hiding some sort of nefarious weapon or anything."  
"Well, I'll be honest. I could never mistrust anyone who carries this."  
"The Bible?" Buffy asked.  
"No. 'Hitchhikers'." He smiled. "Can I offer you a cup of tea?"  
"Yes. Thanks."  
"Hey Giles. Where's Xander and Will?"  
"Well, Willow is home sleeping. Xander is making another visit to the hospital."  
Mouse began to re pack her bag. The paper caught Buffy's eye.   
"Can I see that?"  
"Sure. It's yesterday's though."  
Giles brought the tea over. "Buffy?"  
"What do you know about her, Giles?" She pointed to the picture of Maleficent Gray.  
"She's new to Sunnydale. Very powerful, very rich..."  
"Very scary looking."  
Mouse sipped her tea. "Well, with a name like 'Maleficent' wouldn't you be?"  
"Wasn't that the name of the witch in 'Sleeping Beauty'?"  
Giles lowered his tea. "That's odd. She came to town nine days ago."  
"Same time as they started."  
"They?" Mouse asked.  
"Ah, nothing."  
Mouse nodded, then yawned. "I think I'm going to turn in. Are you sure I can use the bed?"  
"Of course. Sleep well." Giles smiled.  
"Thanks again for all this. Goodnight." Mouse bowed her head slightly and ran upstairs.  
When Mouse had disappeared upstairs, Buffy continued. "You think maybe this Maleficent has something to do with it?"  
"Well the timing may just be a coincidence, but that name. I don't know Buffy. It may be no more than just a woman with a rather unfortunate name, but I'm going to check."  
Buffy sat back. "Wonder what Xander's up to."  
  
****  
  
"Thanks again, Em. I'll see ya later." Xander closed the door and wandered down the corridor.   
"Xander."  
He spun around. "Anya? Uh, what are you doing with my Uncle Rory?"  
Anya hugged the large man next to her. "I have decided that I'm leaving you. Your Uncle Rory and I are getting married."  
Xander tried to laugh. "Huh?"  
"Well, to be honest I got tired of the horrible sex that we were having night after night. So I found someone else that does it better. You know, you could learn a thing from my Ror-ror."  
"Ror-ror?" Xander squeaked.  
"Yes. He's so sweet." She smiled and kissed Rory deeply.  
Tears formed in Xander's eyes. "Please tell me your kidding. Anya?"  
"No. Of course not. I mean, how could I love someone like you? You have no goals, no ambition and you make love like someone who has something better to do."  
Xander knees crumbled beneath him.  
Anya's laugh pierced though the hall. She pulled out a silver object from her pocket. "Here. Do everyone a favor. Put yourself out of your misery." She slid it across the floor and hit Xander's knee. It was a small scalpel.  
"Go on. Use it."  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Xander's hand began to shake as he picked up the scalpel. Anya and Uncle Rory turned and disappeared down the corridor, laughing. Xander slowly brought the scalpel to his wrist.  
"You know, that doesn't really make much sense to me."  
Xander quickly turned to face the voice. A young girl was leaning up against a wall. Tall, young looking, a bit run down.  
"I mean isn't your Uncle camping in Seattle? And he's been there for over two weeks."  
Xander's hand slowly moved away from his wrist. "And he's supposed to be there for another two."  
The young girl kneeled down in front of Xander. "And Anya is mediating in the caves not 5 minutes walk from here. And besides, you know that she loves you. Close your eyes. You can feel it."  
"Yeah." Xander smiled.  
"Do you mind if I take that?" The girl put out her hand.  
Xander looked down. A confused look passed over his face and the scalpel went tumbling to the ground. "What the hell am I doing?! And who are you?"  
She smiled and helped Xander to his feet. "Name's Mouse. You're a friend of Buffy's right?"  
"Ah, yeah. You know Buffy?"  
"Not well. I met her in the graveyard and she gave me a place to sleep tonight. Nice girl. She mentioned someone else too. Willow?"  
"Yeah, Will. Look, I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything but," he pointed to the scalpel on the ground, "Huh?"  
"Oh, you were imagining it. A depressing delusion to drive you to self destruction."  
"And you happen to show up just in the nick of time to stop me."  
"Yeah."  
Xander smiled. "And you have nothing to do with this, right?"  
"Well, I wouldn't say that, no. I think maybe we should check on your friend Willow." Mouse started down the hall.  
"Oh why not." Xander quickly ran after her.  
  
***  
  
Maleficent Gray slammed her hand on her desk. "No! Who is that? Who is that little self righteous bitch!"  
Her lackeys cowered around her. "We... we don't know. She came here yesterday. Just some homeless kid."  
Maleficent smiled evilly at the nearest man. Suddenly her fist flew at him. it connected with his face and kept pushing. Blood and splinters of bone exploded outward. She placed a foot on his chest and pushed away, pulling her hand free of the gore. The body slumped to the floor with a sickening squelch. Maleficent flexed her fingers gently, watching the flow of blood and brains drip off her fingers. "Now, go find out who that is. All right dears?" She smiled.  
As the men left the room horrified, the only sound following them was a almost inaudible drip, drip, drip...  
  
***  
  
Xander lead Mouse to the dorm room. "Her and Buff are in here. Just curious, where'd you get a name like Mouse anyway?"  
"A friend gave it to me. Not to fond of the real name."  
Xander nodded, still confused and knocked on the door. "Will? You awake?"  
"Go away!" came the reply.  
Mouse pushed past Xander and tried the knob. As the door swung open, they saw Willow. She had a bottle in one hand and a pile of pills in the other.  
"Will! What are you doing?"  
"Go away! He hates me! And I'm tired of living with guilt!" Willow poured more pills into her hand.  
Mouse leaned over Xander's shoulder. "Now Willow, you know that's not true. Oz loves you. And you know that you love him. What would he say if he saw you like this right now?"  
The bottle slipped from Willow's hand. "He.. he would tell me..."  
Mouse put out her hand. "He would say he loved you. He might also say that it seems kinda odd that you would choose to OD on a Multi-vitamin and Ginseng combo."  
Willow smiled. "Well, I couldn't find the aspirin." She poured out the pile of vitamins into Mouse's hand. Xander ran to Willow and wrapped her in a big hug. "Xander? What was I doing?"  
"It's okay, Will. It wasn't real. You were just imagining it. We better get to Giles'."  
Mouse went out the door first. Willow held Xander back. "Who's that?"  
Xander shrugged. "Dunno really. But she saved my life. Come on."  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Xander opened the door to Giles house. "Hello? Giles? Buff?"  
Mouse lead Willow over to the couch. Books and papers were pilled everywhere. Willow picked up one of them. "Looks like Giles was onto something."  
A thud sounded from upstairs. Xander ran up first. As he rounded a corner, he saw Buffy. Well, Buffy's legs. She had wrapped an extension cord around her neck and was hanging from a light fixture. "Buffy!" Xander ran to her and grabbed her legs. "Will, help!" Willow and Mouse ran up the stairs.  
"Oh God!" Mouse pulled a Swiss Army knife out and started to cut through the cord. Buffy's body fell on Xander. Tears were still streaming down her face.  
"Find Giles!" Xander yelled. He brushed Buffy's hair out of her face. "Buffy, it's okay. It's over."  
"No, it's not. He hates me. Giles hates me cause I let Ms Calendar die!" Buffy choked on her tears.  
Mouse kneeled down next to her. "Buffy, don't be silly. Giles doesn't hate you. He knows you would have done everything in power to have stopped that from happening."  
"Giles! No!"  
Xander, Buffy and Mouse ran to Willow. She was leaning out a window.   
"Giles, get in here!"  
Giles was standing on his window ledge, fingernails scraping along the wall trying to keep balance. "Why? You don't need me anymore. I'm just the old man now. Willow is our magic expert now, so what do you need me for?"  
Mouse stuck her head out. "Well, they need a level headed person to stay behind do that they can come in, save the day and be the hero. Plus everyone needs to have a friend with a British accent. It's just cool."  
"Well, that's true." Giles smiled and accepted pairs of hands to help him in.   
  
***  
  
Giles sat down with his tea. "Well, this has been an interesting day."  
Willow just nodded.  
"What gets me is, how did she know?" Xander passed the plate of cookies to Buffy. "I mean she came out of nowhere. And instantly I felt better about myself. It's like fine, utterly depressed, fine again."  
"But that seems to be the pattern though. People are just walking along and something gets to them." Buffy swallowed the last of her macaroon. "Something just gets stuck into their mind and it brings them..."  
"Despair!" Giles dropped his cookie and ran for a book. "Utter despair to the point of self destruction. The total lack of hope and faith. And it started almost 10 days ago."  
"Which is when that business woman came to town." Willow brushed crumbs from her lap.  
"Yes, Maleficent. I knew there was something odd about her. Yes! Here," he pointed to a small picture. "Maleficent, demon that usually appears in the guise of a female. Puts on the illusion of ultimate power, wealth and happiness. She is the embodiment of despair."  
"Great. We know who she is. How do we stop her?"  
Giles face fell. "Ah, there in lies the problem. Maleficent isn't really a person. She has no true form. She's merly an emotion, intangible. You can't kill despair. the best you can hope to do is to drive it away. but it will always come back. it's like trying to put a knife in faith."  
Buffy frowned.  
"Ah, need a better analogy I see. Okay, it's like trying to shoot happiness or strangle fear. They're feelings and emotions."  
"Okay, so how do we drive it away?"  
Giles sighed. "I don't know."  
  
***  
  
"Hey." Xander called.  
Mouse closed her book. "Hi. Just reading."  
Xander sat next to her on Giles step. "can I ask you something?"  
"Sure."  
"Well, who are you? Why are you here? Where are you from?"  
"That's three somethings."  
"Ah, yeah. Well, you pick."  
"I'm just a homeless girl wandering around with nothing better to do."  
"What about your parents?"  
"Don't know them. Orphan."  
"Oh. Sorry."  
Mouse laughed. "It's okay. I don't let it get me down. I figure they were probably alot like me. Besides, I've got my health and my faith," she patted her Bible," what more do I need?"  
Xander reached in his pocket. "A macaroon."  
  
***  
"Damn you! Get out!"  
A head flew through the office door landing with a loud thud, then rolled down the hallway. Four men ran screaming from the same door. Maleficent stormed after them blood dripping from her dress. "Find her! Bring her here!"  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Xander, Willow, and Buffy were passed out on the couch. Mouse flipped through a book and Giles brought out another tray of tea.   
"I think I've found something. Perhaps we can open a small portal that would send the demon back to hell."  
"What would we need for that?"  
"Some holy water, a few blessed candle and at least four people. It's mostly just affirmations of faith and trust that drive away the demon."  
"I'll run to the church. You get some rest." Mouse grabbed her pack. As she made her way to the door, Giles laid a hand on her shoulder.  
"Why are you doing this? I mean, you don't know us. You practically drop out of the sky and solve all our problems. What's in it for you?"  
Mouse patted Giles hand. "You gave me a place to sleep. Meet me at her place." She walked through the door and flashed Giles a large grin as the door closed.  
  
***  
  
Two men sat in a dark car watching Mouse run down the street.  
"Follow her."  
  
***  
  
Maleficent smiled as she walked through the halls of the hospital. Knives, bottles of pills and guns fell in an unending stream from underneath the train of her gown. Patients, doctors and nurses came running, screaming from all ends of the hospital.   
"You have nothing to live for! Why continue to deny it! You are worthless. Looks at you here! Insects scrambling for ways to put yourself out of your pathetic misery!" Maleficent's laughed echoed off the walls. As she rounded the corner, her eyes met a gory site. Bodies pilled as high as her hips. Blood flowed like rivers down the hall. Wrists and throats were ripped open. Maleficent ran though the halls giggling like school girl. Her hands ran over the blood and gore, scooping hand fulls of brains and entrails lifting them high in the sky then letting it rain down. Her laugh echoed louder and louder...  
  
***  
  
Mouse exited the church stuffing the last of the candles into her pack. A set of large arms grabbed her from behind. A hand went over her mouth. Another figure appeared before her.  
"Ms Gray would like to meet with you."  
  
***  
  
Maleficent smiled as an eyeball rolled between her fingers. "Brown always was my favorite color." The cell phone in her pocket chimed. She threw the eye to the ground and pulled the phone out. "Is it done?"  
"We've got her."  
"Good. Very good. Bring her to the house." She slammed the phone shut and jumped down off the morgue table crushing the eyeball under her heel. "Sunnydale. You're mine for the taking."  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Maleficent kicked Mouse in the side again. "Who," kick, "Are," kick, "You!"  
Mouse rolled in a ball trying to protect herself. "No one you would understand."  
Maleficent kicked her again, then turned away bored and angry. "Tell me when her friends get here."  
  
***  
  
Buffy and the gang crept up upon the mansion. "This place is huge. How are we going to find Mouse in all this?"  
Xander turned on his flashlight. "How are we going to find business woman from hell in here for that matter."  
Willow peeked in an first floor window. "Guys! I see her." Willow gasped. "She's got Mouse!"  
Xander and Giles clambered up behind Willow trying to get a look.  
Mouse was still curled in a ball, Maleficent pacing around her. Another kick to the face sent Mouse tumbling backwards.  
"That's enough," Buffy said and with that leaped through the large windowpane. Glass shattered in all directions. Willow, Xander and Giles followed closely behind.  
Maleficent stared at them, contempt visible in her face. "Oh look. Sunnydale's mighty champion and her sleuthing squad." She made a show of yawning. "How boring. Not even a good looking one among you. Brainless, boring, pathetic cowards the lot of you."  
Xander began to sink to the ground. "Shut up!"  
"Xander knock it off!" Willow tried to lift him up.  
"Leave him alone witch!" Maleficent paced again. She seemed to tower above them. "He knows that I'm telling the truth. And you do too. Don't you feel it? All of you! That ball in the pit of your stomach, the knot in the back of your throat. Tears, anguish, fear all bursting into a fire you can't stop. The more you try and ignore it, the more it spreads."  
Mouse struggled to stand. "Don't listen to her! You know yourselves better than she ever will. Think about it! Yes, you have flaws. But that's humanity! Humans are flawed. Separately you can do anything, but together you can accomplish miracles! Look at all the things you've done for this city and each other."  
Maleficent continued. "It's one thing to know your own faults, but to have someone else point the out to you is something the human brain can't handle. You break down, fall to pieces and try to delude yourself into believing that it will all go away. But it doesn't. It merely sits in the back of your mind waiting for another opportunity to strike like a snake waiting in the grass."  
"Leave them alone!" Mouse screamed.  
Maleficent laughed. Suddenly the walls burst into flames. Chunks of plaster rained down around them. Rings of fire surrounded them, separating them from each other. They cowered, shaking and alone.  
"Of course." Maleficent smiled and made her way to Mouse. "Do you like riddles? Hm?"  
"Sure. Why not?"  
"Okay, if you get it right, I'll go. If not, I get to kill you then take this city. Deal?"  
Mouse smiled. "Not like you'll keep it, but okay."  
"Smart girl. But onward we go...  
'What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the rich need it, the poor have it and if you eat it you will die. What is it?' "  
  
Mouse blinked. "Ah...."  
Maleficent laughed. "No ideas? No thoughts? Come on, have a go." Her laughter continued to grow. She began to spin around, the fire burning brighter. Suddenly her step faltered. Her laughter stopped. "What is that?" She ran to the window.   
Mouse could hear a soft singing coming from outside. In a minute she could make out the words.  
"Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound that saved..."  
Mouse got to her feet. "You know, you can find the most helpful people in churches. People of great faith and believing gather together to comfort each other. They're a great bunch of people."   
The fires began to fade.   
"Giles what's gong on?"  
"It's the faith of the people outside. It's weakening her! Hurry!"  
Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles all clung together and started to sing along.  
Maleficent spun around to them. Her eyes were blazing coals, her skin began to split. Clothes and flesh fell to the ground. The demon grew tall. Arms and tentacles flew in a rage all around her trying desperately to take something with her. The floor beneath her began to split.  
"Everyone out!" Giles screamed. everyone ran for the door.   
What was left of Maleficent started to run after them. "You've ruined everything!"  
As Buffy and the gang reached the crowd outside, the singing got louder. People held up crosses, bibles, the Koran, Stars of David, every symbol of faith and trust known.  
Maleficent stumbled. The house began to burn and crumble around her.  
Mouse stood her ground before her. "I know the answer."  
"Mouse get back!" Xander screamed.  
"The answer is Nothing."  
Maleficent screamed. An arm shot out and wrapped and arm around Mouse's waist. She smiled as the arm pulled her into the inferno.  
"No!" Buffy started to run back to the house. The mansion exploded outward. Wood and plaster rained down over the crowd. Then just as suddenly, there was silence. The mansion had been leveled to the ground. Small fires gutted out as the gang made there way through the ruble.  
"She's gone."  
  
***  
  
Giles brought in another blanket. Xander had already passed out on the floor. Buffy was taking a bath. Willow was putting books back.   
"Willow, leave those until tomorrow. You should get some sleep." Giles took the book from her.  
"I was just trying to... take my mind off stuff."  
"I know." A knock sounded at the door.   
Spike was standing there with Mouse's pack in his hands. "I... found this down the block."  
Giles sighed and took it from him. "Thank you Spike." He slammed the door in his face.  
Xander woke with a start. "What!? What's going on?"  
Buffy came running down the stairs. "What's happening?"  
"Nothing. Spike found Mouse's bag. He just brought it back." He opened the flap. Inside was a book and an envelope. it was addressed to 'Mr. Giles and friends'.  
"Open it Giles."  
Giles tore the envelope open. Inside was single sheet of paper. It read-  
  
'Friends,  
Thanks.  
First Corinthians 13:11-13.  
  
Mouse'  
  
Willow looked over the bag again. "Hey Giles. Look at this." She showed him a tag on the inside of the flap. "Property of Hope."  
"Hope? Maybe that was her real name?" Xander said through a yawn.  
Giles pulled the book out. It was the copy of her Bible. Giles quickly flipped to the passage she had left.  
" 'When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and think like a child, and argue like a child, but now I am a man, all childish ways are put behind me. Now we are seeing a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known. In short, there are three things that last; faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is... Hope."  
"Whoa. Hold it." Buffy said. "You mean, she... she wasn't real?"  
"But she was here. I mean, we saw her. She helped." Willow sat down slowly.  
"Just as Maleficent was the embodiment of an emotion, so was Mouse."  
"I speak for all here when I say, Lucy you got some 'splaining to do." Xander said.  
"Don't you see? Maleficent and Mouse. They were both just... bodies. Figures. They were exact opposites. Maleficent was powerful, rich and beautiful. But her world was empty. She had everything that you want, but it meant nothing. It was empty. Mouse had nothing. She was homeless, plain and alone. But she had her faith and her belief in herself. She had everything Maleficent didn't. Don't you see. What's the exact opposite of Despair?"  
They all looked at each other.  
Giles continued. "Hope."  
  
The End  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Okay now, I realize that the passage ACTUALLY says "And the greatest of these is love." When I started this story, I though that it was hope. So I just took Artistic license and changed it a bit. Was it okay? :-)  
  
  
  
  
  



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